Isaiah Washington To Return To TV

Embattled actor Isaiah Washington is gearing up for a return to TV.

The ex-"Grey's Anatomy" star will guest star on the new series "Bionic Woman," NBC announced Monday. The show, starring Michelle Ryan, premieres in September.

The network also said that the studio is developing an action-series project with Washington based on an idea from the actor.

Washington's rep, Howard Bragman, told The ShowBuzz on Monday that the actor will have a five-episode arc on the series.

USA Today, which first reported the news, said Washington pitched the development deal to NBC for the 2008-09 TV season.

"Isaiah Washington is a very talented and versatile actor and I've always admired his work," Ben Silverman, co-chairman of NBC Entertainment and Universal Media Studios, said in a statement. "These episodes on 'Bionic Woman' and the new development deal will showcase his talents, and we look forward to producing some great television together."

Washington was released from his ABC contract after he used an anti-gay slur at a Golden Globes press conference earlier this year.

He also used the slur during an argument on the set of the series last October. Costar T.R. Knight said the slur was directed him.

Recently Washington told Larry King that he was actually referring to himself when he said it.

"(Dempsey) became unhinged, face to face, spittle in my face. I'm asking him 'why are you screaming at me?' He became irate. By that time I pushed him out of my face and I began to say 'there's no way you're going to treat me like a 'b word,' a 'p word,' or a 'f word' in front of this crew," he said.

Over the weekend, People reports that Washington was reunited briefly with two of his former co-stars. The actor chatted with James Pickens Jr. and Chandra Wilson at the "Bowl a Strike for Sickle Cell Disease" in Studio City, Calif., on Saturday.